Remus Lupin, Age Thirteen
by Clara A. Rose
Summary: Okay, this is my first published Fan-fic. As it says in the title, it's about Remus Lupin, when he was thirteen. I want criticism, but, please, don't be mean. I hope you like it...


Remus always dreaded the full moon. It sort of went without saying, him being what he was. But as grateful as he was to be going to school, it did make even more of a hassle to keep him away from the other students. The thing Remus hated most of all about being a werewolf was that when people found out, sometimes they were scared. He did not consider himself someone to be scared of, and he hated that some people did.  
Mostly, the way he dealt with this was to just not tell anyone what he was. Then to bury his nose in a book, introvert style, and pretend that no one else existed. Though lately, James had been trying to talk him out of this. Well, not talking, exactly. Mostly the way James did this was to distract him and then yank the book out of his hands.  
Remus secretly dreaded the day his friends found out about his secret. It was bound to happen at some point. They were smart, and it didn't take a genius to figure it all out. In fact, it was a miracle that they hadn't already realized it. It had been nearly three years, after all.  
He turned his attention back to his book. He was supposed to memorize chapter seven for Defense Against the Dark Arts, and he was almost halfway through. He was quite liking this book.

Someone came up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. Remus didn't look up. "I'm reading, James. Go away."

"Pfft, reading." scoffed James. "Hey, look. It's Halley's comet!"

"Nice try." Remus looked up, which was his big mistake. "Halley's comet hasn't been seen in-"

"Sirius, go!" yelled James, and he grabbed Remus's book while Sirius tackled him from his other side and pinned him. Remus struggled, but Sirius was much stronger and finally he gave up.

"Okay, you win." said Remus. "Will you let me up?"

"Only," said James, dangling the book in front of him tauntingly, "if you promise to stop reading for a bit and come and join us down by the lake."

"It's _homework_."

"It's the _weekend_." James imitated Remus's tone. "We don't have Defense Against the Dark Arts until Tuesday. C'mon. You're reading for fun again. You need to get outside. It's good for you." James stuck out his lower lip and made puppy eyes at Remus. "Please?"

Remus rolled his eyes, but he was smiling. "Fine. Just let me up." Sirius complied. Remus leapt to his feet and grabbed the book back out of James's hands. "I'll come, but I'm bringing the book."

Sirius grinned and swept his hair out of his eyes. "Don't worry. We'll have so much fun, you'll forget all about reading."

What followed was indeed one of the most fun afternoons Remus had ever had. The only thing that put a damper on the evening was the knowledge that there was a full moon that night. He had to leave early in order to make sure he was ready.

He hated it, he hated it so much. Why couldn't he just be a normal person? Why was it him having to explain mysterious scars to his friends? Why was it him who got bit? Why did _he_ have to be the werewolf?

Remus checked the clock. The moon was coming up at seven-twenty tonight, but he should be there early, just in case. It was seven, so he should probably go. He rose and started to walk slowly down to the Whomping Willow. With any luck, he wouldn't run into anybody.

He strode down the stairs, but he kept glancing over his shoulders. He had this eerie feeling that someone was following him. But he couldn't see anyone.

Remus had just made it out the front doors when it hit him. You don't see anyone if the people in question are using an _invisibility cloak_. He stopped in his tracks, turned around and said in a low voice, "James, Sirius, I know you're there."

A second passed, and then his friends appeared, ducking out from under the cloak. James looked a bit sheepish, but unrepentant. Sirius just looked cool and uninterested, but that was how he nearly always looked.

"What are you doing here?" Remus practically hissed.

James threw up his hands. 'What were we supposed to do?"

"Um, _not_ follow me?" said Remus incredulously.

"We want to know what's going on." said Sirius.

"I'm surprised you haven't already figured it out." He glanced at the sky. "Please go. You could get hurt."

James raised an eyebrow. "Hurt? By whom? You?"

He was right to be skeptical. Both James and Sirius were several inches taller than Remus, and both consistently beat him at pretty much anything involving physical strength. But even a _tall_ thirteen-year-old is no match at all for a wolf. Especially a werewolf.

There was no time. "Please go." begged Remus, and then he turned and sprinted toward the Whomping Willow.

He should have known they wouldn't listen. Remus just had to hope that the Willow's tunnel would close up too fast for them to get in. Having had three years worth of practice, Remus managed to charm the passage open while running. He flew through, hoping desperately that he could outrun his friends.

Remus sprinted down towards Shrieking Shack. The wind rushing in his ears was so loud that he couldn't hear if they had followed him. He only stopped once he was in the Shack. He leaned against the wall, breathing hard, praying that he wasn't about to hear James and Sirius's footsteps.

Unfortunately, he could. He could hear them getting closer. And that was the moment the first pains came. Remus locked his arms around his stomach, trying to ignore the stabbing pain. No use. He fell to his knees and just had squeezed his eyes shut when his friends entered.

"Remus?" said Sirius uncertainly. His voice had lost a little of its confidence. He started to move forward to help him up.

"Get back!" Remus's voice came out in a growl.

James's voice sounded actually concerned. "Are you okay? What's happened?"

"Please," pleaded Remus, "Please go. You have to, before-" He broke off as another wave of pain rocked his body and he curled into a ball.

"Before what?" said James.

Remus could barely speak for the pain, but he managed to get it out. "Before the moon rises!" The change was starting, he could feel it. They had to go.

Out of the corner of his eye, Remus could see James's eyes widen in understanding. He grabbed Sirius and pulled him through the door, shutting it tightly behind them. Remus only had time for one thought before his vision went blurry, and it was, _Oh, thank God._

When Remus woke up, he was sprawled on his back, staring up at the ceiling of the Shrieking Shack. He lay there for a minute. When he started to sit up, he saw that his arm had a fresh cut. _Another injury I have to explain to my friends, _Remus thought gloomily. Then he remembered. James and Sirius had seen him change.

He doubted that they would tell anyone, but they could still treat him like a freak. Or, worse yet, be afraid of him. James and Sirius, who weren't afraid of anything, or at least acted like they weren't. He just couldn't bear that.

Remus pushed himself to his feet and began the long trek back to Hogwarts. It was about five in the morning, by his reckoning. Sirius and James would be asleep. _That is, if they weren't kept up with nightmares about me, _thought Remus bitterly.

He made it up into the seventh floor without encountering anyone. It was, after all, five in the morning. Remus dragged himself through the portrait hole, not expecting to see anyone in the Common Room. He was halfway to the dorm when he heard a voice behind him and froze.

"Hey, Remus. We've been waiting up for you." Remus spun around. James and Sirius were sitting by the fire. "You don't have to pretend to like me." His voice was hard.

Sirius frowned. "What do you mean? Are you okay?" Remus could hear genuine concern in Sirius's voice, something he was surprised to hear.

"I'm fine." said Remus gruffly.

James came forward. "No, your arm. You're hurt. You should see Madame Pomfrey."

Remus barely spared a glance for his arm. "I've had worse." He started to turn away. "I should go to bed." he said coldly.

James gaped at him. "You can't seriously think we'd abandon you just cause you're a. . . you know."

Remus turned on him. "No, say it. I know what I am. Hearing you say it doesn't change anything." His voice broke and suddenly he was barely holding in tears.

Sirius placed a hand on Remus's shoulder. "We'd never abandon you, mate. Even if you're a. . . werewolf. It doesn't change anything."

Remus looked at him. "You know that I'm a monster and you don't hate me?"

James ruffled Remus's hair the way he often ruffled his own. "You're no monster. You're a short, skinny kid with a little problem. A. . . furry little problem."


End file.
